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Leighton

♀ Girl

Pronounced LAY-tun /ˈleɪ.tən/High

Meaning: From an Old English place name, 'leac-tun', meaning a kitchen garden or leek garden (leac = leek, herb; tun = enclosure, settlement) — a topographic surname for someone near a kitchen garden.High

In 30 seconds: Leighton is a quietly elegant Old English surname name that has found favor as a girl's name in the twenty-first century. Its unexpected botanical meaning — 'herb garden' — adds a charming earthy depth.
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Origin HighOld English
MeaningFrom an Old English place name, 'leac-tun', meaning a kitchen garden or leek garden (leac = leek, herb; tun = enclosure, settlement) — a topographic surname for someone near a kitchen garden.
U.S. rank (2025)#342 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births892 girls (0.05% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 12,411

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519562025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Leighton derives from the Old English leac-tun, a compound of leac (leek, herb, or kitchen garden) and tun (enclosure or settlement). It was applied to homesteads near vegetable or herb gardens. The name became a hereditary English surname, with the variant spelling Leighton (incorporating the historically unpronounced -gh-) becoming the dominant form.

As a given name, Leighton has been used for both boys and girls in the English-speaking world, but in the United States it has transitioned primarily to girls' use in the twenty-first century. Actress Leighton Meester, known for her role in Gossip Girl, has been a significant cultural influence on the name's contemporary visibility and feminine associations.

Did you know? The spelling Leighton contains a silent 'gh' — one of the most distinctive quirks of English orthography, preserved from Old English where 'ght' represented a guttural sound. Leighton is therefore a living fossil of medieval pronunciation.
Overall data confidence 87%
Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names — Old English etymology of LeightonSocial Security Administration Name Data — US gender distribution and popularity

Variations

LaytonLeyton

Nicknames

LeighLeyLay

Famous Bearers

  • ★Leighton Meester (1986–)
    American actress known for her role as Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl.

If you like Leighton…

Ashton— two-syllable Old English place-name surname popular for both genders with the same -ton ending
Sutton— two-syllable Old English surname name with the same polished, modern crossover to girls' use
Payton— two-syllable place-name surname with the same -ton ending and similar gender transition

Frequently Asked

What does the name Leighton mean?

Leighton means 'leek garden' or 'herb garden', from Old English leac (herb) and tun (enclosure).

How do you pronounce Leighton?

Leighton is pronounced LAY-tun (/ˈleɪ.tən/), two syllables with stress on the first. The 'gh' is silent.

Is Leighton a boy or girl name?

Leighton is used for both genders but is now predominantly a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is Leighton?

Leighton has entered the US top 500 girls' names in the 2010s, boosted partly by Gossip Girl actress Leighton Meester.